Board Batten Siding Barn

So what exactly is board and batten siding.

Board batten siding barn.

Board and batten siding is very similar to the plain barn siding shown above but board and batten has the addition of a narrow strip of wood called a batten covering the joints where vertical boards meet. Board and batten shutters which use the batten as a horizontal brace are also considered less formal and more provincial than louvered shutters. It is a type of rustic wood siding often found in more rural areas on country homes barns and other outbuildings. The early builders might not have understood exactly why wood moved but they knew how to compensate for it.

Board and batten siding often called board and batt or barn siding has been used for centuries. Even today this type of siding on a house exudes a comfortable informality. Board and batten siding consists of wide boards laid vertically with narrower strips of wood called battens covering the gaps. The technique is time tested durable easy to repair and allows for the natural expansion and contraction of the siding material.

Barns and houses with board and batten siding were inspired by nordic european buildings and gained popularity in america sometime around the middle of the 19th century. The boards run vertically with narrow strips to seal the cracks that form as the wood dries and shrinks. This added batten gives the siding some depth and dimensions as it catches shadows. Board and batten siding is sometimes called barn siding because many barns in north america are constructed this way.

Board and batten is a fairly simple exterior siding system of gapped wide vertical siding boards with narrow overlying vertical battens to cover the gaps.